A Central Texas woman saw a pop-up on her computer claiming she had a virus. Police say the message led her to call a phone number, withdraw $25,000 in cash, and meet a man who allegedly told her the money would fix the computer.
The woman later felt something was wrong and contacted police. Clifton officers used a license plate number and a Flock camera in Hillsboro to track the vehicle, according to KWTX.
Police arrested Anson Zhou, 26, after officers recovered the $25,000 during a vehicle stop, the station reported.
Central Texas woman falls prey to computer virus scam; police recover $25K she paid suspect
— NewsChannel10 (@NewsChannel10) June 4, 2026
The Pop-Up Said Her Computer Had a Virus
According to police, the woman received a computer pop-up saying she had a virus and needed to call a specific phone number.
When she called, officers said she reached Zhou, who allegedly told her the computer could be fixed for $25,000, according to KWTX.
The woman withdrew the money in cash and met Zhou at an undisclosed location so he could collect it, police said.
Police Used a License Plate and Flock Camera to Track the Vehicle
After the cash handoff, the woman contacted police because she felt something was wrong.
Officers used a license plate number and a Flock camera in Hillsboro to track the vehicle, according to KWTX.
Hillsboro police stopped the vehicle, and Clifton officers went to the location of the stop. After a search, officers recovered the $25,000 in cash, according to the police press release quoted by KWTX.
Fake Tech-Support Pop-Ups Are a Known Scam Tactic
The FTC warns that tech-support scams can start with a message claiming there is a problem with a computer and instructing the person to call a phone number.
The FBI says people should not allow someone claiming to be tech support to have remote access to a computer or device. In some cases, scammers use that access to steal passwords, personal information, or money.
Microsoft says its error and warning messages never include phone numbers. A pop-up that tells someone to call “support” is the warning sign.
Police Warned About Suspicious Payment Requests
Clifton police advised people to watch for scams and suspicious calls requesting money or gift cards.
Anyone who receives a suspicious tech-support message should avoid the phone number in the pop-up and contact a trusted repair shop, bank, or police department through a verified number.
The Clifton case remains an allegation unless proven in court. No court outcome was reported in the sources reviewed.